Mayor Brandon Johnson, DCASE, and BACP Announce Next Phase of Creative Worker Rights Campaign Through “Art is Labor” Programs and Planning

Mayor Brandon Johnson, DCASE, and BACP Announce Next Phase of Creative Worker Rights Campaign Through "Art is Labor" Programs and Planning

The second phase of the "Art is Labor" initiative brings renewed attention to the unique needs of this essential workforce and Chicago's third largest industry.

CHICAGO - Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) and the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) launch the second phase of the "Art is Labor" initiative, which provides educational and resource-sharing programs developed with and for Chicago's creative workers. Through December 2026, creative workers and their employers can attend events, film screenings held in partnership with the Chicago Film Office, and webinars on the City of Chicago's labor laws, connecting participants with organizational partners across the creative sector who are advancing worker rights through their own programs and initiatives.

"Chicago's creative economy supports more than 212,000 jobs, $50 billion in output, and is the third largest employment industry. Yet, too many of the people who create this value are struggling to share in the prosperity they help produce," said Mayor Brandon Johnson. "The success of Chicago's creative economy cannot depend on creative workers simply surviving; we must support the conditions for them to thrive. I am pleased to launch this second phase and further our commitment to the creatives who make Chicago the great, vibrant city it is today"

The second phase of the "Art is Labor" initiative builds on the City's first-ever creative workers campaign launched in 2024. The campaign continues to inform workers about their rights, which is crucial for empowering workers, promoting fairness and equity, and creating a culture of compliance.

By providing creative workers with the knowledge and resources they need to navigate the work complexities of the sector, the campaign contributes to a more inclusive, just, and respectful work environment for all. The campaign was developed through feedback from an Advisory Committee consisting of nonprofit arts leaders, independent artists, and advocates.   

Concurrently, through a social media video campaign and installation at the Chicago Cultural Center, Chicagoans will be introduced to the creative workers who are the foundation of Chicago's rich arts and culture landscape. The 2026 arc of programming is being facilitated in partnership with 2nd Story, a Chicago-based storytelling collective.

"Chicago's creative workers are not only the artists who shape our cultural identity, they are an essential part of our city's workforce and economy," said DCASE Commissioner Kenya K. Merritt. "The Art is Labor initiative centers creative workers' voices to better understand the realities they face and strengthen the systems that support them. By aligning research, resources and programs, we can invest in our creative workforce, amplify their contributions and help build a creative economy where more Chicagoans have the opportunity to thrive."

"The City of Chicago remains deeply committed to aligning our policies and programs with the needs of workers across every sector," said BACP Commissioner Ivan Capifali. "Creative workers, in particular, play an essential role in shaping our small business landscape. They spark innovation, strengthen neighborhood economies, and enrich the cultural fabric of our city. It's vital that our wider community recognizes their contributions and continues building the supports that ensure creative workers can thrive. When we uplift them, we uplift the entire ecosystem of businesses and communities that make Chicago vibrant."

The 2026 "Art is Labor" programming will be updated regularly with new information and events until the end of the year. DCASE, BACP, and 2nd Story will co-host two workshops in October addressing disability and creative worker rights. One webinar will be designed for individual creative workers and the second for employers of creative workers. Workshops will highlight resources that are available via the City of Chicago and from other organizations. Updates and additional information on programming will be available at chicago.gov/creativework.

Currently, the schedule is as follows:

• September 16, 2026, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602.  
  • Illinois Creative Future Roadshow: The Loop, presented in collaboration with Arts Alliance Illinois
  • Cost / RSVP: Free / RSVP
  • Description: This interactive working session will use new insights from the Creative Economy of Chicago and Illinois: Impact and Assets reports to spark conversation, identify priorities, and build ideas for strengthening Illinois' creative economy. Artists, creative workers, nonprofit leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, elected officials, and community members are invited to bring their experiences and perspectives to the conversation.
  • More Information: https://artsalliance.org/creative-future-roadshow/
    
• September 17, 2026, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Austin Town Hall Auditorium, 5610 W Lake St., Chicago, IL 60644
  • Illinois Creative Future Roadshow: Austin, presented in collaboration with Arts Alliance Illinois and the Chicago Park District
  • Cost / RSVP: Free / RSVP
  • Description: This interactive working session will use new insights from the Creative Economy of Chicago and Illinois: Impact and Assets reports to spark conversation, identify priorities, and build ideas for strengthening Illinois' creative economy. Artists, creative workers, nonprofit leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, elected officials, and community members are invited to bring their experiences and perspectives to the conversation.
  • More Information: https://artsalliance.org/creative-future-roadshow/

• September 19, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, 4056 W Armitage Ave., Chicago, IL 60639
  • Illinois Creative Future Roadshow: Hermosa, presented in collaboration with Arts Alliance Illinois
  • Cost / RSVP: Free / RSVP
  • Description: This interactive working session will use new insights from the Creative Economy of Chicago and Illinois: Impact and Assets reports to spark conversation, identify priorities, and build ideas for strengthening Illinois' creative economy. Artists, creative workers, nonprofit leaders, educators, entrepreneurs, elected officials, and community members are invited to bring their experiences and perspectives to the conversation.
  • More Information: https://artsalliance.org/creative-future-roadshow/
  • Four additional Illinois Creative Future Roadshow events will take place across Chicago during September and October. For full details, visit https://artsalliance.org/creative-future-roadshow/.

• September 28, 2026, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Green Line Performing Arts Center, 329 E Garfield Blvd, Chicago, IL 60637  
  • DCASE INVITES: An Evening for Creative Worker Rights
  • Cost / RSVP: Free / RSVP
  • Description: DCASE, BACP, 2nd Story, and partners from across the creative sector working to advance creative worker rights will gather for an evening celebrating the City's "Art is Labor" initiative. Attendees will build connections to the people and organizations supporting thriving living conditions for Chicago's creative workers and engage in a brief conversation with City Officials about the importance of this moment to the creative sector and City.

• September 30, 2026, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Claudia Cassidy Theater at Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602 
  • Problemista Screening and Talkback, Presented with the Chicago Film Office
  • Cost / RSVP: Free / RSVP
  • Description: A deadpan, surreal comedy that follows Alejandro, an aspiring toy designer from El Salvador, as he navigates the overlapping labyrinths of immigration bureaucracy and the New York art world. The film explores the idea of who gets to become an arts worker and why, as well as the employment demands and unique challenges of those trying to build a creative life. (2023, Written and Directed by Julio Torres. Length: 104 min; MPAA Rating: R)

• October 21, 2026, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Claudia Cassidy Theater at Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602 
  • I Love Boosters Screening & Talkback, Presented with the Chicago Film Office
  • Cost: Free
  • Description: A colorful and stylistic satire that follows a crew of professional shoplifters who take aim at a ruthless fashion mogul accused of stealing their designs. The film is an intersection of fashion, labor politics, and collective action that examines the exploitation of creative work while imagining how community might function to break that cycle. (2026, Written and Directed by Boots Riley. Length: 113 min; MPAA Rating: R).

• November 14, 2026, in the Claudia Cassidy Theater at Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602
  • Mother Jones: America's Most Dangerous Woman Screening & Walking Tour: Celebrating Chicago's Labor History through Public Art, Presented as part of City Civics Day
  • Cost: Free
  • More Information and Timing: www.chicago.gov/CityCivicsDay
    
• November 18, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Claudia Cassidy Theater at Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602 
  • SHOWING UP Screening & Talkback, Presented with the Chicago Film Office
  • Cost: Free
  • Description: A warm, delicate, and humanistic comedy that follows Lizzy, an exasperated sculptor balancing her day job, family, friendships, and an escalating series of practical problems as she prepares for a new exhibition. The film uses gentle wit and quiet admiration to reveal the daily labor and necessity for persistence that an artist must learn to balance as part of their existence and creative process. (2022, Written by Jon Raymond & Kelly Reichardt, Directed by Kelly Reichardt. Length: 108 min; MPAA Rating: R). 

• December 16, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Claudia Cassidy Theater at Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E Washington St, Chicago, IL 60602  
  • Don't Think Twice Screening & Talkback, Presented with the Chicago Film Office
  • Cost: Free
  • Description: A bittersweet comedy that follows a veteran improv troupe whose relationships are tested when one member lands an audition for a coveted late-night television show. The film explores the larger ideas of ambition, envy, and creative precarity, as well as the fragile line between colleague and competitor when success arrives unevenly within an artistic community. (2016, Written and Directed by Mike Birbiglia. Length: 92 min; MPAA Rating: R). 

For more information about Art is Labor programming, visit Chicago.gov/CreativeWork.

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Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) supports artists and cultural organizations, invests in Chicago's creative economy, and expands access to and participation in the arts throughout the city's 77 neighborhoods. As a collaborative cultural presenter, arts funder, and advocate for creative workers, DCASE engages Chicagoans and visitors of all ages and backgrounds, from downtown to neighborhoods across the city, to strengthen and celebrate Chicago. DCASE produces some of the city's most iconic festivals, markets, events and exhibitions at the Chicago Cultural Center, Millennium Park and in communities throughout Chicago, serving a local and global audience of 25 million people. The Department offers cultural grants and resources, manages public art, supports film, television and other creative industries, and permits special events throughout Chicago. For details, visit Chicago.gov/DCASE and stay connected via our newsletters and social media. 

Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection

BACP licenses businesses and public vehicles, regulates business activity, protects consumers from fraud, enforces Chicago's labor laws, partners with business service organizations and provides education and resources for businesses. For more information, visit Chicago.gov/BACP. To follow BACP on social media and subscribe to our newsletters, visit Chi.gov/BACPupdates.

2nd Story

2nd Story is a Chicago-based storytelling collective committed to building spaces where people can share and deeply listen to one another's stories. Founded in 1999, 2nd Story exists to fulfill its vision of living in a world driven by empathy. We believe that sharing our true stories with each other binds us to one another.

Through live performance, community events, classes, workshops, and professional training, 2nd Story helps individuals and organizations find, shape, and share their stories with purpose and power. 2nd Story believes that stories are essential-not just for creative expression, but for healing, education, economic mobility, public safety, and the future of our shared humanity. 

One of 2nd Story's key programs is The Rising Tide Project. The Rising Tide Project is 2nd Story's initiative focused on advancing pay equity and equality, improving worker care, and transforming organizational and sector-wide practices through storytelling, strategy, and solidarity in the arts and culture sector. To learn more, visit 2ndStory.com.

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